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Wet mounting is the simplest and easiest technique for the examination of faeces. Routinely employed wet mounts in most of the laboratories include saline, iodine and buffered methylene blue. Lactophenol cotton blue [LCB] staining--mounting medium is commonly used for microscopic identification of fungi. LCB and its modifications were tested as staining mounting medium on parasite positive faecal samples [both fresh as well as formalin fixed] to stain and demonstrate morphology and to preserve parasitic elements [trophozoites, cysts, ova and larvae] in wet mounts. Protozoal cysts [Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia], helminthic OVA [Ancylostoma duodenale, Ascaris lumbricoides, Enterobius vermicularis, Taenia solium and Hymenolepis nana] and larvae [Strongyloides stercoralis] were well-stained and preserved their morphology in nailpolish enamel sealed LCB-faecal mounts. Morphology was better appreciated in LCB-formalin fixed faecal mounts as compared to LCB fresh faecal mounts and was well preserved by the end of twelve weeks.

Human cryptosporidiosis has been reported world wide, both from developed and developing countries and from urban and rural areas. Present study is undertaken to assess the occurrence of cryptosporidiosis in human and cattle population (cows and calves) in and around the rural areas of Loni, district Ahmednagar, Maharashtra State. Human stool samples were collected from 220 patients of age ranging between newborn to 85 years, attending the Pravara Rural Hospital, Loni. The samples were examined using modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. Drug samples were also examined from 101 asymptomatic (apparently healthy and non-diarrhoeic) cows and calves from the same area, to detect Cryptosporidium. Three positive cases (1.36%) in human and 11 positive cases (10.89%) in cattle (cows and calves) were detected. It is assumed that in rural areas the most likely source of human infection is cattle. This is the first report of human infection by Cryptosporidium from rural Maharashtra and also the first report of occurrence in cattle from India.